


The Past Weighs Heavy

by verdant_leaves



Series: The Legacy of Azayaka Ha [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Final Fantasy XIV 1.x, Final Fantasy XIV Legacy, Gen, Nonbinary Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:14:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28535712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verdant_leaves/pseuds/verdant_leaves
Summary: A meeting with the Twin Adders' spy from Ala Mhigo carries with it the complications of Cid's past.
Series: The Legacy of Azayaka Ha [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2090367





	The Past Weighs Heavy

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place over the course of two quests from Legacy/1.x: "Appetite for Destruction" and "Two Vans are Better than One."

There was a strange sort of peace in the green boughs around them. The smell of earth and leaves permeated the woods. It soothed Azayaka much as the pines of Coerthas.

They shadowed after Cid in the eastern-most region of the Black Shroud. Their destination was ambiguous, somewhere west of Camp Nine Ivies. For the moment they were traveling south to their destination, Azayaka ever on guard. Though adventurers regularly traveled the area it was still rife with all manner of creatures.

“Have at ya!”

Azayaka’s katana was immediately drawn as shouts broke the quiet forest. They stepped in front of Cid, stopping him in his tracks. “Sounds like a fight,” Cid said.

“I’ll take you all! Mangy mitelines!”

“That voice…” Azayaka’s mind shifted to a startled yelp as a man fell into a pine tree. “Stay here!” Azayaka shoved Cid down between a log and a boulder before charging in the direction of the shouts. They shortly after reached a small clearing where a man in mismatched armor furiously thrust his lance at approaching mitelings.

More were approaching his flank and Azayaka was swift to run at them, slicing through their grisly maws with ease. “My favorite bodyguard!” Azayaka turned to see the head of his lance pierce another miteling. “Fancy seeing you here!” He ripped it out and swung his lance dramatically to rest on his shoulder.

“La’mone Tia.” Azayaka scanned their surroundings before wiping their blade on their robe. They slid it into its sheath, glancing up as La’mone approached. “You are the Twin Adders’ representative.”

“That I am,” he said. “Guess we’re here for the same-” Suddenly, shouting and the scurrying of multiple bodies. They both snapped in the direction of it to see a man running from another group of mitelings. They ran in his direction, katana returning to hand while La’mone pointed his lance forward. Before they could reach him, however, another shout rang.

“Shield your eyes! Look away!”

Azayaka knew the voice and grabbed La’mone, forcing him to turn away before a blinding light overtook the man and mitelings. A flurry of screeches then sounded before the sound of a frantic retreat. When the light died out, they both looked to see the man on the ground, free of his pursuers, and Cid approaching him. Behind him followed the Bowlord of the Gods’ Quiver and a contingent of Wood Wailers lancers and Gods’ Bow archers.

Azayaka gritted their teeth as they sheathed their katana. They rapidly approached Cid as he knelt in front of the man, only to have his extended arm smacked away.

“Don’t touch me!” Cid stepped back while the man stood. “That flare, that airship- You are of the Garlond Ironworks!” The man was shouting now. “You fled to Eorzea, fearing only for your own craven hides, ignorant of the atrocities suffered by the people of Ala Mhigo. Atrocities committed by your hand! By the weapons you created!” Azayaka stepped up protectively beside Cid, but found them stopped by his hand. “You bloody murderers!” the man continued frantically. “An eternity in the seven hells would be too merciful a punishment for your like! I ought to flay you where you stand and leave you for the crows, gods damn you. Gods damn you all!”

“Arthur! Enough!” The Bowlord made to step closer but Cid rose his hand to him as well, stopping his advance.

“So you were there… You saw the atrocities? The devastation?” Cid asked earnestly. “Aye, I will not deny it. The magitek weapons we created laid waste to Ala Mhigo, and slaughtered its people. Would that I could undo it. But I cannot. And now those weapons are trained upon all of Eorzea.” He shook his head solemnly. “What the Emp- what we have done, can never be forgiven. Nor should it. A deed forgiven is too easily forgotten. We knew when we chose to walk amongst you that we would not escape your anger and your hatred.” He sighed and took a step closer. “But now is the time to fight. We mean to face the coming evil, but cannot do so without your strength. It will be hard, I know, but I must learn what you saw in Ala Mhigo.”

“Liar! Craven!” Arthur shouted madly, waving his arm at Cid. Azayaka pulled him back and away. “Stay that traitor's tongue before I rip it out! I-” suddenly, the Bowlord was behind him, striking the back of Arthur’s hand. He groaned as he fell forward into the waiting arms of a Wood Wailer.

“He was long in Ala Mhigo,” the Bowlord said sadly. “All who were have learned to trust no one. More’s the pity.” He watched as the Wood Wailer hefted Arthur over the shoulder of another. “Pray give him time; He needs rest. We will see him back to Gridania. Cid bowed his head and turned to leave. Azayaka followed dutifully.

“Pray accompany them and make sure they return to Gridania unharmed,” they heard behind them. Shortly after La’mone was running to catch up to them. He grinned warily at Azayaka. They all continued in silence to the airship landing in the distance.

…

They remained in Gridania for a time after the confrontation in the woods. Gridania’s airships were in need of repair and putting his hand to it seemed to help Cid. He had been quiet since the woods, and even quieter since being granted an audience with Arthur. The spy had seen much in Ala Mhigo and Azayaka could only imagine the picture he painted. Cid had shared his conversation with the man, and it did little to ease their worries.

Instead they quietly watched the crew as they made their repairs and performed the needed maintenance. They watched Cid most closely, watching for the moment to drag him away to rest. He was a man possessed of his work under normal circumstances, but times were far from normal.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite bodyguard.” Azayaka’s eyes narrowed. They turned to the approaching Miqo’te, watching him bypass the ticketer without a second thought. “I knew I’d find you here,” La’mone said with a bounce in his voice. “I’ve heard you’re never far from Master Garlond.”

“Heard that, have you?” Azayaka asked. “What of it?”

“Nothing, really,” he said with a shrug. “Just that I knew if I found you, I’d find him, and the opposite of course.” He looked past Azayaka to the Ironworks crew. In the middle of them all was Cid, just now standing to stretch. “You think I could get a moment with him? I’ve been sent by Commander Flutaint with news.”

“He is due to rest,” Azayaka said. “Keep company with Bardo; I’ll see to Cid.” Azayaka motioned to the Hyur man sifting through a nearby crate under Ebrelnaux’s watchful gaze. La’mone nodded and moved to join him, giving Azayaka a moment to sigh before crossing the platform.

Cid had stepped away and deposited his wrench on the workbench. He was now bent over the blueprint upon it, eyes fixed upon it. “It’s been hours,” Azayaka said, drawing his attention away. They stopped on the other side of the workbench. “You need to rest.”

“We’re almost finish,” Cid argued quietly, looking back to the plans. “I can rest after.”

“You will rest now,” Azayaka said firmly. “Aside from that, you have a guest. Sent by Commander Flutaint.”

“About time,” Cid said, snapping his attention up. His eyes immediately found La’mone hovering around Bardo and Ebrelnaux. “Quinquerol said he’d be coming, but he didn’t say he’d take so damn long.” Azayaka shrugged as Cid blustered by. They stayed at the workbench as La’mone made his report to Cid. They were content to let the conversation remain between them until they saw Cid throw his fist down in frustration. They approached in concern, quickly picking up what was being said.

“And now Gaius has joined his strength to the cause…” He shook his head. “It is no diversaion. What the White Raven said is true… But Twelve be good, have they already drawn so close!?”

“Only the Twelve know, I imagine,” La’mone said. His eyes lifted to Azayaka’s as Cid acknowledged their presence.

“You can speak frankly in front of Aza. Azayaka. They know what I know.” He shook his head. “Which is sadly less than I would like. I myself played a part in the Meteor Project before I left Garlemald. I only wish I could work out what it is they’ve discovered in the ten years since.”

“Seems to us that all they are doing now is toward this Meteor Project,” La’mone said. “Pieces everywhere with no indication as to how they fit together… Except that it’s to move their agenda forward.”

“Aye… to recreate the ancient magic known as Meteor.”

“Which is…?” La’mone tilted his head to Cid, hoping for further explanation. Cid obliged.

“Decades ago, a Garlean scientist discovered the ruins of an Allagan structure,” he said. “Within was a device believed to be able to somehow send waves of energy to influence Dalamud.” He clenched his fist. “It was proposed soon after that the device could be used to cast Dalamud down upon the lands of the beast tribes… Upon Eorzea.”

“By Azeyma!” La’mone stepped back in horror.

“Aye, but calling upon such powerful sorcery was hubris at its finest,” Cid said sadly. “They gathered every man of science they could to work on this grand endeavor… But…”

“It did not end well,” Azayaka finished, cutting off Cid as his mind took him to unpleasant shores. “It was called off ten years ago.”

“And now the bastards have it in their head to try again,” La’mone growled.

“I’d laugh at them and be done with it,” Cid said with a wave of his head. “That is, if not for the involvement of Nael van Darnus. The men of his line have long been the keepers of Allagan knowledge. Could that godless fiend have made some new discovery…?” Cid trailed off thoughtfully, his mind now racing with untold questions.

“Let us pray not,” Azayaka said. “The man is a monster, killing enemy and ally alike- any who might oppose him.” Cid turned away and meandered back to the workbench, La’mone and Azayaka far from the front of his thoughts. “Unless there is more, you best move on.”

“Such a cold dismissal,” La’mone chuckled. “And here I thought we knew each other better than that.” Azayaka’s eyes narrowed; La’mone’s ears flattened to his head as he stepped back. “Now now, none of that! I jest, I jest!”

“Indeed.” Azayaka reached behind him and picked up a small satchel. “From Commander Flutaint. The price of your service amounts to a pile of paper, apparently.”

“Seals,” La’mone corrected. “The company isn’t so well financed to pay us all in gil and seals are the alternative.” He shrugged before he tucked the parcel away. “They still spend like gil, just with our quartermaster instead of any merchant, and they get me the supplies I need to keep this old girl sharp.” He reach up and patted the head of his lance. “Well, with that I take my leave.” He bowed his head and turned to leave.

“Forgive him.”

“Pardon?” La’mone glanced over his shoulder at Azayaka.

“Your brother,” they said quietly. “Forgive him. Family is too precious to forsake in these times.” Without another word Azayaka turned and moved to the workbench, intent on pulling Cid away to rest. La’mone was left alone in his shock.

“I never… _Did_ I tell them I had a brother?”


End file.
